Northridge Women's Hoops Hosts Seattle as Part of WBCA's Pink Zone

The Cal State Northridge women's basketball team (3-17, 1-9 BWC) takes a mid-week break from league play to host Seattle University Wednesday night at The Matadome. The game is part of the WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association) "Pink Zone" promotion to help raise awareness for breast cancer. All fans wearing pink to the game between the Matadors and Redhawks will receive free admission.

The Matadors enter the game having lost both of their Big West contests last week, falling to UC Riverside, 75-53, and to Long Beach State, 86-67. CSUN remains in contention for a berth in the Big West Tournament, currently tied for eighth place with Pacific at 1-9 in league play. The Matadors and Tigers meet on the final day of the season in a game likely to determine the tournament's eighth seed.

Individually, several Matadors set new season and career highs last week. Katrina Thompson knocked down a career-best five 3-pointers against Long Beach State and Violet Alama came off the bench to record her first career double-figure scoring game, finishing with a season-high 15 points and six field goals. Finally, Bridgette Conejo (5), Analee Viena-Lota (5) and Neeta SreeKanth (3) all set new career bests in assists against the 49ers.

Now, CSUN must turn its attention to the visiting Redhawks. Seattle enters Wednesday's contest with a 5-20 record, having defeated South Dakota, 52-42, in its last game. Ashley Brown leads the team in scoring, averaging 14 ppg and the Redhawks are coached by Joan Bonvicini, the former head coach of Long Beach State and Arizona.

Matadors On the Airwaves

All Matador women's basketball games are broadcast on GoMatadors.com and hosted by IBSU.net. Dave Caldwell is in his second season as the play-by-play voice of the Matadors. All Big West Conference games are also streamed live on BigWest.TV for a determined fee.

Scouting Seattle University

The Redhawks from Seattle University come calling to The Matadome Wednesday night for a non-conference game. Seattle U enters the game with a 5-20 overall record after splitting its two games last week: a loss to Eastern Washington, 67-50, before a 52-42 victory over South Dakota.

Ashley Brown leads the team in scoring at an average of 14 ppg. She shoots 36.9 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from 3-point range. Brown is also tied for the team lead in rebounding at 5.0 per game and also leads the team with 36 steals on the season. Tatiana Heck averages 10 points per game for the year and Cassidy Murillo has 117 assists on the season, an average of 4.7 per contest.

As a team, Seattle shoots 38.2 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from 3-point range. The Redhawks have taken 553 3-pointers on the season, 67 more than their opponents, for an average of over 22 per game. Seattle also shoots 65.3 percent from the free throw line and averages 33.6 rebounds per game.

Behind Murillo's 117 assists, the Redhawks average 13.6 per game, but turn the ball over 19 times per game on average. Seattle has recorded only 39 blocked shots on the season and have 60 fewer steals than its opponents (241-181).

The Matadors and Redhawks have never met as Division I opponents on the hardwood. In the middle of their transition to Division I, Seattle has played four Big West opponents, all on the road, thus far this season (UC Davis, UC Irvine, Cal Poly and Cal State Fullerton), losing all four contests.

Bombs Away

The Matadors enter the week ranked third in the league and 42nd in the nation in 3-point percentage at 36 percent. Katrina Thompson checks in at second in the Big West at 47.9 percent, having hit 23-of-48 attempts. That mark ranks among the top percentages in school history for a single year and has vaulted Thompson into the career percentage ranks in school history. In league action, Thompson is 17-of-33 (.515).

Bridgette Conejo has also been lethal from downtown, leading the Matadors with 29 3-pointers and ranking fifth in the conference at 40.3 percent for the season (29-of-72). In Big West games, she is 15-of-36 from long range (41.7 percent).

Stay Off the Train Tracks

In her final season with the Matadors, senior Katrina Thompson is now averaging a career-high 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists after finishing with a team-high 16 points, including a career-best five 3-pointers, against Long Beach State. Against Big West foes, Thompson is averaging 10.1 points and 7.1 rebounds. Among Big West players, she ranks ninth in rebounding, eighth in assists and sixth in steals at 1.8.

Roses are Blue, Violets are Red...

Freshman Violet Alama has elevated her scoring since the start of the Big West Conference season after finishing with a season-high 15 points and six field goals against Long Beach State. In league play, she is averaging 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds. She is also second on the team, and fifth in the BWC, with 21 blocks.

Conejo Brings More than Lucky Feet to CSUN

Sophomore Bridgette Conejo set a new career high with five assists against Long Beach State. She now leads the Matadors in scoring at 12.7 ppg, the ninth-highest average in the league. She is also second on the team in rebounding at 5.4 rpg, the 12th-highest average in the league.

CSUN's Own Dr. J

Sophomore Jasmine Erving enters the week averaging 12.5 points for the season, the 10th-highest average in the Big West Conference. She is also averaging 5.1 rebounds, the 15th-highest average in the league. She leads the Matadors with 26 blocks on the year, the second-most in the Big West.

CSUN's Flyin Hawaiian

Freshman Janelle Nomura has shown a knack for getting to the free throw line this season, leading the Matadors in attempts (90), completions (70) and percentage (.778). That percentage ranks 10th in the league and she also ranks seventh in assists at 3.2 per game. For the year, she is averaging 7.8 points and 3.5 rebounds.

Matadors vs. Seattle University

The Matadors and Redhawks have never met as Division I opponents on the hardwood. In the middle of their transition to Division I, Seattle has played four Big West opponents, all on the road, thus far this season (UC Davis, UC Irvine, Cal Poly and Cal State Fullerton), losing all four contests.